Baahubali: The Beginning is a 2015 Indian Telugu-language epic action film co-written and directed by S. S. Rajamouli, and produced by Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni under Arka Media Works. The film was produced in Tollywood and was filmed in both Telugu and Tamil languages simultaneously. It features Prabhas in a dual role alongside Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia, Ramya Krishna, Sathyaraj, and Nassar. The first of Duology, the film follows Sivudu, an adventurous young man who helps his love Avantika rescue Devasena, the former queen of Mahishmati who is now a prisoner under the tyrannical rule of king Bhallaladeva. The story concludes in Baahubali 2: The Conclusion.

Koduri Srisaila Sri Rajamouli is an Indian director and screenwriter who works primarily in Telugu cinema. He is known for his epic, action and fantasy genre films. He is the highest grossing Indian director of all time, as well as the highest-paid director in India. He is a recipient of various national and international honours including a New York Film Critics Circle award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, two Saturn Awards, and four National Film Awards. In 2016, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, for his contributions in the field of art. In 2023, he was included on the Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.